Washing machine



Nov. 15, 1932. P. G. LAGERBAcK WASHING mcamr:

Filed Dec. 11*, 1930.

Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE PER GUSTAI LeGEnnicx, DECEASED, LA'rE'oE sTocKHoLM, SWEDEN, BY Gos'rA GEQNBEEG, ADMINISTRATOR, or srooxnorm, SWEDEN WASHING MACHINE Application filed December 11, 1930, Serial No.- 501,709,- andin SwedenDecember 18, 1928.

Washing machines forhousehold use are known which consist of a vessel andan agitator movable up and down in saidvessel to effect a circulation of the washing liquid through the clothes to be washed.

.Heretofore, it has been customary in operating washing machines from electric motors, as are commonly employed for this class of service,to employ mechanicalreducing gears, in as much as the usual motor speed is about 1800B. P. M. while the motion of the reciprocating agitator should be about 60 strokes per minute, or less. r v

The principal object of this'invention is to provide a simple and reliable form of power transmission device for washingmachines having a reciprocating agitator or washing organ operated from an electric motor.

A further object of-"the invention is to make it possible to utilize the usual household vacuum cleaner as a primary power source for the operation of the washing machine.

Another object is the provision of means to control the operation of the power transmission device in a simple manner.

The invention consists, chiefly in the combination with a household washing machine of the kind described, of a vacuum piston machine having a reciprocating piston sup porting the agitator of the washing machine, said vacuum piston machine being adapted to be operated by the atmospheric pressure against a vacuum generated by means of an electric fan. Preferably the electrically operated fan of a usual household vacuum cleaner when available is used for such purpose as it is of the proper size and its use will save the costs of a separate primary motor.

In the accompanying drawing one embodiment of the invention is shown in vertical central section.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is a vessel for the washing liquid and the clothes to be washed and 2 is a cover on said vessel. On said cover the cylinder 4 of a vacuum motor is secured by means of uprights 3. A piston 5 provided in said cylinder supports by means of rods 6 anagitator 7 in the vessel '1. On the top of the cylinder a housing 16 is secured, said housing having a conical boring 17 and adapted to form a .coupling means for connecting theflex-ible suction pipe of an elec- 5 trically operated vaoll l li cleaner or other vacuum conduit from an electrically. operated fan tothe-working chamber. of thecylinder. The chamber below the piston is in constant connection with the atmosphere through openings 21 in the'cylinder wall. The piston .5 has an opening 8 controlled by a valve ,10-whichisloadedby a pressure spring 9. The. tension of said spring is. adjusted insuch manner that-thespring .is not capable of opening the valve when the valve is closed .and a vacuum is maintained in the Working chamber of the cylinder. The stem 11 ofthe valve 10. is adapted to cooperate with a stop 12 in the uppermost position 7 of the piston so that the valve is partly opened When the stem llstrikes againstthe stop, air being, thus admitted into the cylinder whereby the vacuum is' reduced. The valve 10 can then b-e completely opened by the action of 7 thespring 9. In the lowermost position of the piston the valve 10 cooperates with-a stop 13 which-{causes a partial closing of the valve and. a partial restoration .of the'vacuumin the cylinder when. the valve strikes. against saidtstop whereupon the Valve is completely closed by the suction action against, the action of the spring 9. l r i p Iii-combination with the housing 16 means for controlling the operation of. the vacuum motonare provided. -For such purpose the housing 16 is provided Withleaking openings 18;forming.an,open connection to the atmosphere which allowsair to flow into; the'suction pipeso as to reducethe vacuum inthe working chamber of the cylinderto a proper value during thequpward stroke of the piston. The housing 16 has an outer screw thread on which a threaded shell 20 is pro- 'vided in such manner that thelea-king open ings'lSin the wall of the housing may-be covered more or less' to controlfthe suction action from the suction pipe on the vacuum screw 19 by means of which it may be locked in desired positions.

Under normal conditions the operation of the washing machine is as follows.

The vessel is filled to a suitable level with the washing liquor and the clothes to be washed. The cover 2 with the vacuum Inotor is then secured to the vessel and a suction conduit, preferably the flexible suction pipe of an electrically operated vacuum cleaner,

is coupled to the vacuum motor by means of the housing 16. A vacuum is thus generated in the working chamber of the cylinder 4, causing the piston 5 with the agitator 7 to move upwards. When the piston reaches its uppermost position the valve stem 11 strikes against the stopper 12, thus causing the valve 10 to be opened as above explained whereby the atmospheric air obtains free access to the working chamber of the cylinder and the vacuum in; said chamber is substantially removed. On account of its own weight and the weight of the agitator 7 the piston 5 now sinks down towards its lower-most position and when said position is reached the valve 10 strikes against the stopper 13 whereby the valve is closed. The working chamber above the piston is now again evacuated by the continued suction action from the suction conduit so that the piston 5 and the agitator are again raised towards the uppermost position whereupon the described cycle is repeated. The operation of the vacuum motor is in this manner continued until the clothes have been sufliciently washed.

If the suction action from the vacuum conduit connected to the housing 16 of the vacuum cylinder is too strong the operation of the vacuum motor will not be satisfactory and especially the valve 10 will not be safely closed inthe lower-most position of the piston. To remove this drawback it is sufficient to increase the openings 18 by screwing. up the shell 20 until the suction action on the piston is sufliciently decreased. If on the other hand the suction action is too weak the number of strokes per minute will decrease or the piston will rest in its lowermost position. In such case the openings 18 are reduced by screwing down the shell 20 until the suction action on the piston increases in the desired degree.

The invention is not limited to the means described and shown in the drawing for controlling the suction action on the piston in as much as any adjustable valve construction may be used for such purpose.

,What is claimed is 1. A washing machine, comprising a vessel, a cover on said vessel, an agitator in said vessel, a motor cylinder secured to said cover, a piston movable up and down in said cylinder and supporting the agitator, means to alternately connect the working chamber of the cylinder with the atmosphere and to shut oft such connection, and a housing on the cylinder provided with means for operatively connecting the working chamber of the motor cylinder with a vacuum conduit.

2. A washing machine, comprising a vessel, a cover on said vessel, an agitator in said vessel, a motor cylinder secured to said cover, a piston movable up and down in said cylinder and supporting the agitator, a valve in said piston to alternately connect the working chamber of the'cylinder with the atmosphere and to shut off such connection, and a housing on the cylinder, forming coupling means for a vacuum conduit.

3. A Washing machine as set forth in claim 2 in which an adjustable opening to the atmosphere is provided in the wall of the housing.

4. A washing machine, comprising a vessel, a cover on said vessel, an agitator in said vessel, a motor cylinder secured to said cover, a piston movable up and down in said cylinder and supporting the agitator, a spring-loaded valve in said piston controlling an opening to the atmosphere, stops cooperating with said valve to secure its opening and closing in the end positions of the piston, and a housing on the cylinder forming coupling means for a vacuum conduit and having its interior in constant connection withthe working chamber of the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name. 

